Many things went wrong during the ’98-’99 UD basketball campaign. From off-the-court altercations to on-the-court underachievment, last year’s squad had it all. At or near the center of this is Stephen Bamigbola. A tantalizing performance at the end of the ’97-’98 season, culminated by a terrific game against Calvin Booth in the NIT, gave Flyer Faithful the hope that head coach Oliver Purnell discovered a diamond in the rough at the 4/5 spot to help Mark Ashman on the inside.

Funny thing happened on the way to the store though….

Mired by foul trouble and underperformance, SB found playing minutes limited. It was almost as if he’d regressed. Perception can often be different than reality, though. If we make a quick check of the numbers, we find a mixed bag with respect to most offensive areas. In 26 games last year, his scoring average went up to 2.4 ppg from 1.8, however he took almost twice as many shots. FG%, like the rest of the team, was a dismal .412%. Free throw shooting was up – to 51%. So, opposing defenses became quickly attuned to letting SB have the open shot. And, even if you foul him, he will not hurt you at the line.

The numbers that speak real volumes are: 1, 18, 8. Respectively, these are assists, turnovers (!), and blocks. Probably SB’s greatest stumbling block was the lack of defensive production in Purnell’s defensive-minded scheme. SB became a glaring liability, especially in light of his offensive weaknesses. It was as if he forgot how to defend, and worse, at times became the booking agent for a 3 point play.

As Purnell has failed to recruit another big man to help Mark Ashman, SB must again be counted upon to help shoulder the load inside. He must learn to put last year’s events behind him and focus on becoming a defensive presence (as he exhibited in the PSU game). He must contribute more on the boards than last year’s 3.07 average per game. He must also develop some sort of offensive game, to keep opposing defenses honest. And he must become a more mature player – avoiding silly fouls on the court, and possible trouble areas off it.

“Potential” is a strong word, depending on it’s context. It could mean that a player has considerable talent, if he learns how to harness it. It could also mean that the player has underacheived. Bamigbola is no different, and the 99-00 season is his chance to show Flyer fans who the real SB is.